Teacher’s Brain

The Power of Visualization

Have you ever heard about how powerful visualization can be to help people with their confidence, business, or personal life? Well, there is science to back it up! One of my favorite examples of visualization was listening Jim Carey talk about seeing his future. He would visualize being successful in detail when he had nothing. It made him feel better. He wrote himself a check for ten million dollars and dated it for 1995 for acting services rendered. Years later in 1995, he found out he was going to make ten million dollars on Dumb and Dumber.

That is a perfect example of how powerful your thoughts can be to your real life.

Why don’t more of us use this tool?

I found many scientific studies that show that the brain doesn’t differentiate between a real memory and a visualized one. If you visualize an item, an action or moments, your brain chemistry actually changes as if it was real. Your mind records the memory.

Become Confident

I used this technique many times when I needed to build my confidence. One time I had to talk to someone I feared, so I visualized the conversation before it happened. I found that I dominated the conversation and had the outcome I desired. If I didn’t visualize it, it could have left the conversation open to the other person to dominate. I would bet that the outcome would have been different.

Visualization is a skill I used when I first became a teacher. I feared talking in front of students. Even reading a book in front of them caused me a little anxiety. I would practice in my mind. The emotion of joy would fill my body as I could see the students gaining understanding from my lessons and giggling at my tone. It helped me get through my first year. Repetition turned my fear into something that is as natural as breathing for me now.

The trick is to pretend like you already have what your are wanting and attach an emotion to the event. This will ease your fear and anxiety of an event you might feel dread about attending. It will boost your confidence about following through with something you may fear.

PROOF

Many studies show that using visualization is effective to improving skills. Some studies showed evidence of visualization being just as effective as real practice when it comes to improving skills. This is why athletes’ use it in their training. It works well!

HOW To Visualize

Here are the techniques that are effective.

  1. Close your eyes, mentally state your goal or your intention of the visualization.
  2. Imagine the situation or event with all of your senses.
  3. Place a STRONG emotion with the images. Feel as if it is real so your brain can record all the images while you feel the emotion.
  4. Focus on breathing calmly. Repeat the whole process until it is clear and easy to imagine.

I hope these tips for visualization are helpful for you to gain confidence, take control of your life and change your mindset to achieve your dreams.

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